user
Write a response that appropriately completes the request.

### Instruction:
Compare and contrast the philosophy of Socrates and Plato.

### Response:
assistant
Socrates and Plato both emphasized the importance of seeking knowledge and wisdom. Socrates was dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge through dialectic questioning and dialogue, while Plato was interested in both practical applications and forms of higher truth. Socrates believed in the concept of “the Examined life” and taught that knowledge is acquired through questioning rather than being taught. On the other hand, Plato was a firm believer in forms of knowledge and sought out more metaphysical aspects. Plato also believed in a form of idealism, which seeks to use sensory experience as a gateway to forms of higher truth.